This holiday season, De Hoek Mountain Resort and Calitzdorp Hot Springs have teamed up with Open Plan Pictures and local businesses to present outdoor film screenings at municipal-owned resorts in the Klein Karoo.
Experience the magic of movie night under the stars by purchasing tickets for R80 (per adult) and R40 (per child).
On each day, they will also offer package deals that include food, and wine. Follow the links below to book your tickets and join us for a festive evening of entertainment.
Their aim is to share the magic of movie entertainment with people of all ages and cultures – bringing them together in a fun and relaxed atmosphere. Whether it may be an open-air cinema & picnic, old-school drive-ins or showcasing a great film indoors at a stunning venue – they promise to take you beyond the stars!
Open Plan Pictures also offer the cinematic experience & screen for private functions on a rental basis and provide live sports streaming.
Apart from the fantastic entertainment value, Open Plan Pictures is dedicated to empowering the people we work with and providing employment to the Garden Route youth who are interested in filmmaking.
They collaborate with local charities and schools – it means so much to us to bring people together and make them smile.
Please find included the Impact Based Warning for the Western Cape and Namaqua Region of Northern Cape.
Areas impacted from Friday, 16 December until Saturday, 17 December along the Garden Route district, include:
Bitou, George, Hessequa, Kannaland, Knysna, Mossel Bay and Oudtshoorn.
The telephone line of the Garden Route Emergency Centre (044-805 5071) is still offline, including the Emergency Medical Services Ambulance Service line, 10177. The following arrangements remain in place: Report emergencies to the South African Police Service at 10111 or contact 021 937 0555. For medical emergencies dial 112 (from a cellphone), until further notice.
Legal notice:
“This warning from SA Weather Service must be communicated as received and may not be altered under any circumstance.
It must be forwarded or communicated in its entirety and no portion hereof may be replicated or copied and distributed.”
SOUTH AFRICAN WEATHER SERVICE
Cape Town Weather Office
2nd Floor: Oval Office Park
Cape Town Int airport
Freight Road
Matroosfontein
Cape Town
Impact Based Warning – Level 3 Severe Thunderstorms
Please find included a Level 3 Impact Based Warning for Severe Thunderstorms related to the Western Cape and Namaqua Region of Northern Cape valid from 12:00 to 20:00 on 13 December 2022.
Report any weather-related incidents to the Garden Route Disaster Management Centre at 044 805 5071.
Legal notice:
“This warning from SA Weather Service must be communicated as received and may not be altered under any circumstance.
It must be forwarded or communicated in its entirety and no portion hereof may be replicated or copied and distributed.”
SOUTH AFRICAN WEATHER SERVICE
Cape Town Weather Office
2nd Floor: Oval Office Park
Cape Town Int airport
Freight Road
Matroosfontein
Cape Town
Media Release: Cater Care students ready to gain practical experience
For Immediate Release 9 December 2022
On Thursday, 8 December 2022, the last intake of the Francois Ferreira Academy (FFA) Cater Care Programme students for 2022 completed their practical training and are now ready to begin the second phase of their training. Their training involve being placed in hospitality establishments in order to gain practical experience during the month of December.
The last intake of Francois Ferreira Academy (FFA) Cater Care Program students for 2022.
During the theoretical training of students.
Earlier this year 223 applications were received from youth across the district who applied to form of the Cater Care Programme. Ninety-four (94) applicants were shortlisted for interviews and in the end, 25 youth were selected to be part of this year’s programme. On 17 October 2022, classes for the last intake of the program began, and the award ceremony will be held in February 2023. The Cater Care is a three (3) month programme providing both theoretical and practical (industry-based) training.
The Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) through this Cater Care (Food Handler) Training Programme aims to train previously disadvantaged youth in the district, in the hospitality sector. By doing so, the high unemployment rate in the district is being addressed; the unemployed are being trained in Culinary Skills, so they can find employment in local hospitality and tourism companies.
As one of GRDM’s flagship programmes, the Tourism Unit of the District Municipality is responsible for funding the programme, with the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) Unit contributing to it as well.
In their last practical assignment, students prepared pastry dough.
Media Release: Resource management, land restoration and legislation take centre stage in the Garden Route
For Immediate Release 13 December 2022
“The Southern Cape and Garden Route is experiencing rapid development and has to make provision to accommodate a fast-growing population, and this more often than not generates friction and anxiety between authorities and landowners where legislation and capacity to e.g. process applications hampers development or where various sets of legislation are seemingly contradictory where for instance land rehabilitation and invasive alien plant eradication is of concern,” says Cobus Meiring of the Garden Route Environmental Forum (GREF).
“ GREF is hosting its annual key- stakeholder report-back event on 13 December in Wilderness, where regional conservation and environmental management entities and individuals will provide insight on matters pertaining to resource management and land restoration.”
“There is a continued need to understand the linkages between ensuring a high standard of living in the Southern Cape, new development, loss of biodiversity, destruction of wetlands and wildlands and unsustainable pressure on natural resources such as water, and the finding of solutions for environmental challenges are increasingly relevant.”
“In addition to the matters mentioned above, the Garden Route is already experiencing and recording evidence of rising sea levels and climate change, and these are all the more reasons for those who share a concern for the state of the environment to make their voices heard and intensify the environmental debate in order to ensure that sustainability and resilience of natural resources remain top of the regional agenda.”
The Garden Route Environmental Forum (GREF) is a public platform and think tank for all those in the Southern Cape involved in active and ongoing conservation and environmental management efforts. Those interested in the event can email Louise Mare louisamare@gmail.com.
Caption: The Garden Route is a place of natural scenic beauty, and every effort must be made to conserve its sensitive environment
Please find included Level 3 and Level 5Impact Based Warnings for Severe Thunderstorms related to the Western Cape and Namaqua Region of Northern Cape valid from 11 December to 12 December 2022.
Report any weather-related incidents to the Garden Route Disaster Management Centre at 044 805 5071.
Legal notice:
“This warning from SA Weather Service must be communicated as received and may not be altered under any circumstance.
It must be forwarded or communicated in its entirety and no portion hereof may be replicated or copied and distributed.”
SOUTH AFRICAN WEATHER SERVICE
Cape Town Weather Office
2nd Floor: Oval Office Park
Cape Town Int airport
Freight Road
Matroosfontein
Cape Town
Media Release: GRDM Integrated Human Settlements Strategic Plan to be enhanced
For Immediate Release
9 December 2022
The Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) held its annual Integrated Human Settlements Strategic Plan Review Workshop at the Pine Lodge Conference Centre in George on 10 and 11 November 2022. Several municipalities in the district, internal stakeholders consisting of councillors, senior management from the various internal directorates and external stakeholders consisting of representatives from the Western Cape Department of Human Settlements, government agencies in the form of Social Housing Regulatory Authority and Housing Development Agency attended this two-day workshop. Own Haven, GRDM’s development and long-term management partner, also joined the work session on day two.
Alderman Jerome Lambaatjeen, Portfolio Chairperson of Strategic Services, opened the session and welcomed attendees, followed by GRDM Municipal Manager Monde Stratu, who opened his remarks with a quote from Charles Darwin, “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent; it is the one most adaptable to change.” Stratu encouraged those present to plan properly in order to fulfil and accomplish Local Government’s objectives and purpose as outlined in Section 51 of the Constitution of South Africa. To change the past, attendees need to make a deliberate effort, he said, leaving them with some food for thought.
The two-day work session was opened and closed by Ald Jerome Lambaatjeen.
GRDM Municipal Manager Monde Stratu.
Joel Mkunqwana, GRDM Manager: Human Settlements, presented the current Human Settlement Strategic Plan, highlighting its strengths, weaknesses and opportunities. He outlined the purpose of the workshop which is to determine whether substantive changes have been made in relation to the National Legislative and Programme context in order to consider the impact of these changes; to ensure that the Strategic Plan remains relevant to such changes as well as aligned with its administration. In his remarks, he praised the Municipal Manager for his contribution and words of encouragement to planners, noting that he has set the bar high for them to reach. As he closed, he stated that in the human settlement industry, a long-term approach and synergy are the keys to being most effective and making an impact.
Shehaam Sims, co-manager of the GRDM Human Settlement Section, delivered a comprehensive presentation titled, Pursuing an Enabling Environment for Affordable Housing Delivery. In her reflection, she reviewed all the foundational work that has been done so far, including the feasibility study being undertaken; all the applications that had been submitted to all the relevant bodies; the decisions that had been taken; the alignments made with the appropriate authorities; and the information shared on the various platforms. She outlined what has been achieved so far using the GRDM’s vision of becoming the leading, enabling, and inclusive district, characterized by equitable and sustainable development, high quality of life, and equal opportunity for all, as foundation.
Shehaam Sims, Manager in the GRDM Human Settlement Section.
Joel Mkunqwana, GRDM Manager: Human Settlements.
This was followed by best practice and useful benchmark presentations by representatives from the Mossel Bay Municipality, GRDM IDP Section, the Western Cape Department of Human Settlements, the Housing Development Agency and GRDM Communication & Graphic Design Section. Topics under discussion and related impacts included:
Long term financial modelling and targeted use of municipal and state land for long term delivery;
Implementation of the Typology driven approach and model;
Incentives Framework: Comparative Income/Cost implications across the district context;
Human Settlements as one of the significant Chapters of the Integrated Development Planning (IDP) and Municipal Spatial Development Framework (MSDF);
Spatial Justice as define and advocate by the MSDF;
Latest on the strategic acquisition and leveraging of Municipal and State Land/Properties; and
Effective communication and consultative conduits.
The GRDM Social Housing Partners presented comparative social housing products on day two, highlighting the challenges and opportunities and useful lessons learned. Representatives were very interactive and robust in their interaction throughout the two-day sessions, willing to learn from each other. The questions and proceedings were documented and used to refine and update the current GRDM Human Settlements Strategic Plan, which will be reviewed annually in accordance with the Municipal IDP and MSDF.
Presentations made on day one and two can be accessed here:
UPDATE ON THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE GRDM SOCIAL HOUSING PROJECT:
The first project that the Human Settlements department hopes to pursue, is at Erf 26823, Omega Street in George, for the potential development of Social Rental Housing. Social Rental Housing targets people whose monthly income is between R1850 and R22 000.
A service provider has been procured through the supply chain management process to conduct a feasibility study on the site. The service provider was appointed on 1 August 2022. Numerous activities have been conducted to determine whether the site and its infrastructure can support such development.
The soil conditions have been tested. Currently we await capacity confirmation of water, electricity and sanitation for a 4 storey walk up building, with units varying in arrangement from 1 bedroom to 3 bedrooms with communal areas and requisite parking areas.
A final feasibility report is scheduled to be available by the end of January 2023.
In the event the feasibility report declares the project feasible, the site will be handed over to the Social Housing partner who will prepare a concept plan for approval, followed by other required plans.
Media Release: Garden Route DM is installing 700 smoke detectors in Kannaland
For Immediate Release
9 December 2022
The Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) firefighters in collaboration with the Kannaland local municipality’s firefighters installed early smoke detection devices in Varkieskloof, an informal settlement in Ladismith during the past week. A total of 700 devices will be installed in Kannaland municipal area by the GRDM. The outlying areas such as Calitzdorp and Van Wyksdorp will also follow. It is expected that the project will take at least three months to complete.
The smoke detection device project kicked-off earlier this year, when GRDM installed 1368 smoke detectors in Qolweni and Bossiesgif informal settlements in the Bitou municipal area, after several informal structures were destroyed by fire, which resulted in the deaths of three (3) Garden Routers.
The GRDM’s Disaster Management and Fire and Rescue Services are managing and implementing the project. Over the past two day, ±178 smoke detectors were installed focusing on structures in the rural settlement.
Having a smoke detector in the home not only alerts residents to the presence of smoke, but also saves lives and minimises property damage.
The installation of smoke detection devices in Varkieskloof in Ladismith.
Heinrich Leslie and Brian Afrikaner from GRDM Fire Department working on their schedule.
Afrikaans
Die Garden Route Distriksmunisipaliteit (GRDM) se brandbestryders in samewerking met die Kannaland plaaslike munisipaliteit se brandbestryders het die afgelope week ‘vroeë rookopsporingstoestelle in Varkieskloof, ‘n informele nedersetting in Ladismith, geïnstalleer. Altesaam 700 toestelle sal deur die GRDM in Kannaland geïnstalleer word. Die buitegebiede soos Calitzdorp en Van Wyksdorp sal ook later volg. Daar word verwag dat die projek minstens drie maande sal neem om te voltooi.
Die rookopsporingstoestelprojek het vroeër vanjaar afgeskop toe GRDM 1368 rookverklikkers in Qolweni en Bossiesgif informele nedersettings in die Bitou munisipale gebied geïnstalleer het, nadat verskeie informele strukture deur brand vernietig is, wat tot die dood van drie (3) inwoners gelei het.
Die GRDM se Rampbestuur en Brand- en Reddingsdienste bestuur en implementeer die projek. Oor die afgelope twee week ±178 rookverklikkers geïnstalleer met die fokus op strukture in die landelike nedersetting.
Om ‘n rookverklikker in die huis te hê, waarsku nie net inwoners van die teenwoordigheid van rook nie, maar red ook lewens en verminder eiendomskade.
Report any weather-related incidents to the Garden Route Disaster Management Centre at 044 805 5071.
